wwii

Governor Matt Bevin is directing all flags at state office buildings lowered to half staff on Wednesday to honor a Kentucky serviceman who was killed in World War II and whose remains were recently returned home.

As we reflect on Pearl Harbor on the 75th anniversary today, much of what we know about that event and World War II is in part due to the work of an historian from western Kentucky. On Sounds Good, Matt Markgraf speaks with Murray State University Pogue Library Special Collections curator Sarah Hopley about the library's namesake, Forrest C. Pogue, and his work during and after WWII. He also created the library's oral histories collection, featuring voices from numerous individuals from the region, including many who vividly remember Pearl Harbor and WWII.

During the second world war, the fledgling Murray State Teacher's College, like many schools during this time, was at risk of closing due to low attendance had it not been for the efforts of the administration to open up the campus as a Navy Pre-Flight Training School. Murray State's Pogue Library has a meticulously kept collection of documents from this time period, so as we think of our veterans this week, Matt Markgraf stopped by the library to speak with Sarah Hopley, Special Collections & Exhibits Librarian, about how this training school "saved" Murray State, beginning with some historical context.

Playhouse in the Park presents a new adaptation of The Diary of Anne Frank by Wendy Kesselman, a drama about the lives of eight people hiding from the Nazis in a storage attic during WWII and the claustrophobic realities of their daily existence, fears and hopes. The story emerges from the historical account written by Anne Frank and her thoughts on the experience and growing up. Director Don Fleming and cast member Amanda Futrell, who portrays Petronella Van Daan, stop by Sounds Good to preview the production, opening this weekend.

Calloway County Public Library has a new website for Spring 2015 and its filled with information about community events and activities. Sandy Linn stops by Sounds Good with a preview of some of those activities, including a series of programs featuring holocaust survivor Fred Gross and a literacy night on March 26 with education students.

Kate Lochte speaks with Constance Alexander, Kentucky Humanities Council presenter and Murray State TQI Faculty Scholar and poet, on how community groups can book speakers for events. They talk about the Kentucky Humanities Council and how Constance became involved and one of her topics, "Connecting People and Place," about the people who used to live in and around what is now the general LBL area. They also talk about memories of WWII and its impact on society.

From NPR: Lego has provided many boys with hours of play, and thanks to a Seattle entrepreneur the little plastic men can teach history too. Will Chapman wanted to teach his son about World War II by acting out history, but he couldn’t find the pieces he needed to do so. That’s why he started BrickArms, where he turns blank Lego pieces into WWII soldiers.